[manorth2010]

Hey everyone! I posted about a month ago...but never got any replies. I think I did it in the wrong area, too. I was wondering if anyone could give me any advice in regards to endometriosis!

A little history: as a teenager I had awful periods, lots of pain, severe cramping, back aches, throwing up, fevers, diarrhea...it would knock me down for 3 or 4 days every month! I'm 24 now, 25 in 5 days lol, and have had 2 kids. After my first pregnancy I stopped experiencing so much pain. I still had cramps and normal pms it seemed... during the last 2 years I've had pretty chronic pelvic pain and have been treated for everything from UTI's to PID- even with negative testing. Starting about 7 months ago my periods started lasting longer and longer, about 10-12 days. And I've had 2-3 weeks of cramping and backaches and pain into my legs- all severe- every month. During this I've also skipped a period, no pregnancy and then had one 45 after the last one. It was also very long and the most painful yet. I've gone into see my doctor after a few months of my periods lasting so long and he put me ona low dose birth control pill to see if it would regulate my system..it didn't. The pain has just gotten worse every month. Along with extreme fatigue... my doctor has referred me to an obgyn and to a gi specialist for a colonoscopy- I've also experienced gi symptoms along with it all. So far everyone I've seen thinks it could be endometriosis? Does this sound right? And if so, how on earth do u deal with it?!?!

[btifulfrefly08]

I also have endometriosis and it hurts for me to have sex and when I cough my ovaries start hurting. It really sucks. My doctor told me that the only way they diagnose endometriosis is using a camera to see the scar tissue and that getting the scar tissue zapped costs a lot of money so it's best to just deal with the pain until it gets really bad. And with endometriosis you rarely feel pain when pregnant. With endometriosis all you can do is deal with the pain or take some pain relievers. There is no cure for it at all. My mom had to just have a hysterectomy, that's probably the only way of getting the pain to completely stop.

[butterflylady]

It could be endometriosis or even a GI disorder can present this way or you could have TWO things going on you know like IBS/Chrons or some other GI and then something female system as well etc... You had two kids though so it shows your not too infertile here, it could even be ovary cyst, fibroids, PCOS (they have long periods). So don't knock through other possibilities and get fixated on endo! I suggest going through a battery of test on the GI endoscopy/colonscopy and GI series, and doing gyno series as transvaginal and ultrasound before doing the laproscopy for the endometriosis. Who knows you may be shocked with one disorder or two totally different systems or something that requires a simple surgery (hysterectomy's are common practice) or medication.

[manorth2010]

Well I've had xrays and scans and ultrasounds- outside and vaginal...and nothing! Its so frustrating. I've beenm waiting on the gi referral to call and set up an appointment. Tomorrow I go to the obgyn and see what they have to say. :/

[MarionS]

Hysterectomys are common practice, but I would not recommend getting one. They bring on a lot of other problems. You want to keep your insides as long as possible. Plus the fact that you will never be able to have children. If your doctor recommends a hysterectomy, get a second opinion.

[manorth2010]

He hasn't yet! The obgyn I saw yesterday recommended that I have an IUD placed- the mirena one. He said it will help lessen the pain and would stop periods eventually. But he said that it would only buy time until id have to have the laproscopy surgery. Because of how much pain I'm in it won't be much time... but he wanted to try to manage the pain as much possible before anything surgical. Which is great...but does an IUD actually work for endo?! It just sounds like more pain to me!

[ehblahbing]

My doctor told me I 'Might' have it. But I had about the same thing as you, lots of pain, instant headache, my vision would start to faid, I'd get really hot, dizzy and start shaking then throw up. Just on the first day. After that I just had to deal with headaches and lots of pain.

Since it really only hurt when I was on my period, she put me on birth control. I've been taking it for about 6 months, and its done nothing but make everything worse. True I'm not throwing up anymore, but my period is nonstop. Only pausing for 3 of four days most.

But unlike you, everything is swollen for me. I keep getting UTI's and I'm really only spotting. Painful spotting that last months.

The birth control helped to some degree, I'm no longer getting the first day sickness, but it's still painful...

Not sure if I helped.

[manorth2010]

I'm sorry to hear it hasn't helped! Don't worry, it didn't help me either. You're not alone! The only good I got out of the pill for this is going back to a regular 28 day cycle. As opposed to 45 days in between. But still had 10-12 day periods. I did end up having an IUD put in last week and its been nothing but pain since I got it. I can feel it! Don't know if that's normal but I can. Best way to describe it would be like something poking you but constantly...on one side more than the other. My ob/gyn said he wants me to try it for 3 months and then he'll do the laproscopy. Which at this point I'm praying for! I've been living in for months now! And it just keeps getting worse! I can hardly walk normal due to the pain..some nights I can't even get my kids into bed I want my life back!